The Best Start Resource Centre has launched an awareness campaign on child discipline. At the heart of this campaign is the website http://www.ChildrenSeeChildrenLearn.ca, which emphasizes the importance of role modeling for parents. It offers parents many suggestions to help them guide their child from birth to age six. The website has eight short video clips. Four of these videos share suggestions to guide children in a positive way and comments from experts.The videos show real-life situations that were filmed with families from Ontario. The other four videos offer tips from parents who have young children. All the videos can be shared through online social networks.

II Background

To ensure this campaign is evidence-based, the background research that was completed to guide this campaign on child discipline included:

Interviews with 18 experts in the field of child discipline.

An environmental scan of other campaigns on the topic of child discipline and a review of available campaign evaluation data.

A literature review of current research related to child discipline. Research clearly showed the negative, long-term impact of physical and emotional punishment. Alternative best practices were reviewed to help define effective strategies.

A needs assessment of service providers who work in maternal child health to define the most effective ways to reach parents.

A survey (http://www.beststart.org/resources/hlthy_chld_dev/BSRC_Child_Discipline_...) of 500 Ontario parents of children aged zero to six years old to assess their attitudes, behaviours and needs regarding child discipline. The majority of parents reported that, at least once a week, they got annoyed with their child and lost their temper. Twenty-six percent (26%) of parents slapped or spanked their children at least occasionally. The survey revealed that fathers generally had more negative behaviours than mothers regarding child discipline (fathers were more likely to say they slapped/spanked, less likely to be aware of the negative consequences of punishment, and more likely to believe in strict discipline, etc.). The survey results emphasized that all parents need help in finding positive ways to guide their children. Based on the parent survey, the top sources of parenting information and influence for parents were:

Family/friends/colleagues

Internet (information websites)

Childcare provider/teacher

Health care provider.

Parents of young children indicated that they like to learn about parenting using interactive websites. http://www.ChildrenSeeChildrenLearn.ca has been designed with the needs of busy parents in mind. The website is easy to navigate and the videos are interesting. Special attention was given to ensure fathers were well represented in the videos. An advisory committee of key stakeholders and experts in child development guided the development of the website. Many parents tested the website and said they found it very useful.

Full-day workshops on child discipline are offered by the Best Start Resource Centre to service providers in Ontario in October and November. These have been very popular and all English workshops are full at the time of writing. Spaces are available in the French workshop to be held in North Bay on November 20 (http://fr.meilleurdepart.org/event/atelier-la-discipline-positive-commen...). A half-day English workshop will also take place on February 19, during the annual Best Start Resource Centre conference (2016-annual-best-start-resource-centre-conference).

The following special events provide opportunities to promote the campaign to the public:

Child Welfare League of Canada. The voice for vulnerable children in Canada. One of their key publications is Be the Best Parent You Can Be: Why Positive Discipline Works, available in many languages. www.cwlc.ca

Committee on the Rights of the Child – United Nations Human Rights. The role of this international organization is to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by all countries who have ratified it. www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC

National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. The focus of this Australia-based organization is to bring about the changes necessary in individual and community behaviour to stop child abuse and neglect before it starts. Their website contains posters, brochures, web banners and videos. www.napcan.org.au

US Alliance to End the Hitting of Children. An organizing movement, vying to increase the strength of organizations committed to ending corporal punishment of children. Its website has a number of downloadable resources, including research, videos, pictures, pamphlets, etc. www.endhittingusa.org

VI Positive Discipline Parenting Programs

Nobody’s Perfect. A parenting education and support program for parents of children from birth to age five. It is designed to meet the needs of parents who are young, single, socially or geographically isolated or who have low income or limited formal education. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/dca-dea/parent/nobody-personne

Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting. A parent support program developed by Dr. Joan Durrant and Save the Children that helps parents gradually move away from physical and emotional punishment and toward solutions that nurture their children’s healthy development and learning. http://www.positivedisciplineeveryday.com

The Incredible Years. The Incredible Years Program is a series of evidence-based programs for parents, children, and teachers. The goal is to prevent and treat young children's behavior problems and promote their social, emotional, and academic competence. http://incredibleyears.com

Durrant, J.E., Ensom, R., and Coalition on Physical Punishment of Children and Youth. (2004). Joint Statement on Physical Punishment of Children and Youth. Ottawa: Coalition on Physical Punishment of Children and Youth. Retrieved from http://www.cheo.on.ca/en/physicalpunishment.

Gershoff, E.T. (2010). More Harm Than Good: A Summary of Scientific Research on the Intended and Unintended Effects of Corporal Punishment on Children. Law and Contemporary Problems. 73(2):31-56. Retrieved from http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/lcp/vol73/iss2/3